Trashy Tuesday, The Trash is my Car

Welcome to another edition of Trashy Tuesday, where we talk Trash, literally.

I bet you were not expecting me to share my car this morning. And no, it is not the trash that is inside. Currently that state is under control. Although, it often feels like this. My children seem to think most of their belongings belong in my car, not in the house or their rooms.

Now that we have covered the interior of my car, let’s move to the outside. Let’s face it. It is a Dodge Grand Crapavan. I have to give kudos to this car. The seats magically fold INTO the car, really EASILY. EXCEPT when you get your finger stuck in the folding mechanism and you almost have to call 911 because the manual didn’t tell you part of the seat is a Chinese Finger Trap. You can read about that HERE. When you fold all the seats in, it turns your van into the most awesome pick up truck. I can cram far more furniture in there than I could your standard pick up. It is like a magic trick that I love to delight people with when they see an entire room full of furniture shoved in there. All that hauling of lovely furniture around was wreaking havoc on the back of my car. My friendly car repair guy suggested I put shocks on the back. Has been very helpful.

Here is the problem, I have trouble backing up, and I don’t mean in words, I mean in my van. I created a crack in the veneer like plastic bumper on the driver side several years ago when my sister and I were staying at a hotel in San Francisco. The front entrance had a turnaround circumference wide enough for maybe a Mini Cooper. I backed into a large concrete pillar. Crack number one. Then last week, (this is what I get for slipping), I went back to my favorite dumpster…..Since I had gone later in the day, the golf cart repair guy was there, with his very long flat bed he parks parallel to the building. I wasn’t realizing my van was so close to it, which resulted in serious crack number two. On the passenger side. This crack was so heinous that my thin plastic veneer of a bumper was knocked off the crappy plastic bolts that held it in place and was flapping in the wind as I drove. Yes, looking good I was! Thank you to everyone who honked at me to tell me my bumper was waving at them! I should have just slapped this on it:

Instead of sharing with you the transformation I am doing from that old cabinet I picked up? The one where someone’s breakfast was still in it?

I am almost finished with the awesome makeover. Instead….I am sharing with you my repair job. Yep, my repair job. I am not going anywhere for the day in hopes that the glue will actually hold and I can gain some of my respectability back.

Driver’s Side

Passenger Side

If you see me around town and my bumper is still waving at you. Then you will know I ordered that bumper sticker about parts falling off. Oh yes, and go ahead and honk, I appreciate your helpfulness.

My van is my truck too! Poor thing. At least you try to repair your dings. I just say c’est la vie! Envious of ALL your seats folding into the floor though. Mine only does the back. And speaking of being green … Did you know our granola-hippie town banned plastic bags?? It’s been a challenge to unload groceries and remember to immediately put the reusable bags back in the van. Kudos to you!!

Well thank goodness you were borrowing photos from google—
my immediate thought upon seeing the 1st pic was–“how does she–WHERE does she put anything she finds??”
I just luv your DIY car repair. You are truly the ultimate DIYer!
Catherine